Freedom Rangers and Fermented Feed - A Pastured Poultry Experiment

[ChickenoftheVI]

I just noticed i said "still" feeder. That was a miss type... Hehe. I was thinking about letting free range too, but not sure howmthey'll fair vs. the Mongoose population around here. The older birds seem to have the mongooses in check, but dont know if they'll try to go after new blood if they see it roaming around. They dont have spurs and all. Oh yeah, one is even trying to crow now!

 

[travifive]

I just noticed i said "still" feeder. That was a miss type... Hehe. I was thinking about letting free range too, but not sure howmthey'll fair vs. the Mongoose population around here. The older birds seem to have the mongooses in check, but dont know if they'll try to go after new blood if they see it roaming around. They dont have spurs and all. Oh yeah, one is even trying to crow now!

MONGOOSES! Wow! Im sure glad I don't have to worry about that.

 

[travifive]

Here is the feed conversion chart and the instructions they sent. I was really impressed that they sent instructions two weeks before the chicks are set to arrive.

 

[travifive]

As far as the weighing goes. I was planning on using a fish scale and just hang them upside down with a loop of string around both feet. That's how I normally move my Cornish. They flap around a lot right when I flip them over but then they calm down after a couple seconds and just hang out.

The tractor I was going to use will be 8x8. This first batch will only be 25 but the next hopefully, will be 50. I was going to increase the numbers by a few every batch until I see a loss in weight. I'm using alot of Salitin's techniques. In his book he said the magic number is around 80. Anymore or any less and you start to get smaller carcass weight. I suspect however, that the rangers will need more space so I am starting small. I would imagine that moving them at least once a day will solve any health issues.

 

[aroo2many]

Travifive - Thank you for the Growth Chart/Conversion worksheet. Next year I will figure out a good way to weigh them each week, along w/keeping track of their feed consumption. I'm not sure if I will try the FF or not. Sure seems to be a popular method. I've not yet figured out what the advantage (for me) would be vs the hassle of preparing/storing/cleaning. I need to do more reading on the subject.

ChickenoftheVI - Mongoose, yikes! I don't know anything about those critters, but I am guessing they are weasel like and can be quite vicious and devastating to a flock. Perhaps a guardian for your flock? A dog would probably be the best, but would take additional care & feed. . . what about a goose? I've heard they make pretty good flock guardians.

 

[ChickenoftheVI]

Thanks for the Growth Chart Travifive!! It's good to see that mine are on target and above the average! I'll be weighing mine tomorrow (10 weeks) and I KNOW at least 2 are over 8lbs live weight. I guess it'll be too late to keep one of those for breeding purposes eh? I keep feed with them at least 12 hours a day, and let them sleep when sun goes down. They eat grass, etc. when I move the tractor around (weekly). I just hatched some dark cornish/barred rock chicks the other day also, I read on this forum from Grayfield (maybe misspelled) that he did this cross and they had the same growth as the freedom rangers... so gonna try that out. He said the biggest growth weights were FR on FR. Thus I wanted to breed a couple as well.

Yeah you see Mongooses around here like you'd see a squirrel state side. They look similar to a weasel and you can here them from far away... kinda sound like a small tasmanian devil. My Dark Cornish has been keeping them at bay. When the girls are out foraging, you'll see him standing at attention monitoring every movement. They've had several run ins, because the leghorns like to forage far away from protection (even in the wooded areas) where the mongoose frequent due to the wood dove population. When the flock is out and about, they then sneak into the coop and steal eggs. One time they were at the eggs when it was raining and the flock came back in, and it was a battle royale in the chicken run... Even the hens were attacking the mongoose! It was really funny.

I'm definitely gonna look into a goose for a flock guardian. Any breeds in particular I should look into?

The Mongoose is the only reason why I don't let the big slow poke "meaties" out to forage... because they have no spurs to try and protect them from the mongoose... and I've seen them around the tractor scoping them out already.

We have 4 basic predators on Island that would attack chickens: Wild dog (seen them chasing down deer the other day), Mongoose (they're everywhere like squirrels), Iguana (they basically will go after chicks and eggs), and the red tailed hawk (not too much in my area tho).

 

[ChickenoftheVI]

One last question. If you are using fermented feed is there added benefit to adding ACV to the water?

I don't know the "added" benefit, but others keep their water laced with it to keep the probiotics, etc. going in the chickens no matter where they go, eat or drink. I tried that, and my chickens tend to not drink as much water when I feed FF anyways... So I don't necessarily add it to their water when they eat FF.

 

[travifive]

I don't know the "added" benefit, but others keep their water laced with it to keep the probiotics, etc. going in the chickens no matter where they go, eat or drink. I tried that, and my chickens tend to not drink as much water when I feed FF anyways... So I don't necessarily add it to their water when they eat FF.

Thanks. I wont worry about the extra ACV in the water then.

 

[aroo2many]

RE: GEESE

I've been trying to remember where I saw/read about using geese as flock guardians . . . . I think it may have been Harvey Ussery. Are you familiar w/him? He has some great ideas, and a no-fuss approach. I believe Gail Damerow has a book out re: geese breeds. I've never had geese myself, but my mom used to have a pair. They kept the lawn manicured, pooped all over the back door apron, LOVED my mom, hissed at my dad, and doubled as a gate alarm. LOL! The have tons of personality!

 

[travifive]

UPDATE:

This week has been insanely busy with farm stuff and in town work stuff so I'm a little late with this info but better late than never.

I received a call early last week that the hatchery was able to move up our order and the chicks would be coming a week earlier. Not only were they a week early but they also arrived at the post office a day earlier than I expected. That was great and horrific news because I hadn't begun fermenting the feed. So, I decided to just add ACV to their water for the first week and give them dry crumbles to give me some time to catch up. 26 chicks arrived healthy and happy and with tons of energy! After introducing each of them to the water (I always give them body temp water for the first couple days) they all went right to eating and drinking.

1st day.

After a few days I moved them from their tote in our sunroom to the brooder house outside. Since they were hatched on a Tuesday today puts them at 10days old. They had their first feeding of FF today and all of them treated it like it was going to eat them. There was still some dry crumbles in the feed trough so I hope when I get home today I will see that they made the transition well.

Fermentation setup pics:

1 5gal bucket with holes drilled for drainage

This is the ACV my lovely wife found for me a Winning Dixie

After setting the holey bucket inside another non-holey bucket(thoase are tthe technical terms) I filled them with about 3 days worth of feed and topped off with water and acouple glugs of ACV and stirred.

I covered the whole thing with a damp towel and I stir it twice a day.

Here are a few pics of the chickies at 10 days. Sorry no weights yet. I need to get a good scale

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